Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-02-07
The Weekly Intelhgencer
Cbe C0iGaster JiItelligets,s.
LANCAsTER. FEBRUARY !. 1857.
Tariff Reduction.

The correspondence between Mr.. Car
- and Mr.. Randall does not afford en-
buragement to the idea that anything will
- done by this Congress in the way of
Gsi4 reduction. Mr.. Carlisle is supposed
1D1peak for the Democratic majority, and
e. Randall for the dozen or more of
0omocrats who are at issue with the ma.
|5egity. This judgment is Of sufficient
t1ex0ogth to bar the way Of the majority to
- reduction it favors and hence this
need Of negotiating with it. The SIM
Nular feature Of this proceeding is
h1t two men, representing the Dem.
1otAtic body Of the House, need
&]D agree, outside the House, upon a
easure to be introduced to its considera-
En-. Legitimately this work might be
8 re In the House. 1t is hardly ever the
64ooper subject of the caucus, which Mr..
q saxiisle proposes as mode of combining
- party. The party caucus is a proper
noans Of determining the/ selections of in
lviduals, but hardly OF principles, which
r. the wpel1 ~6f the party conven.
-. an this case there would
justification of congressional
a 1uCus, ii any such can ever exist the
y 1nntter to be solved being things of bust.
usss detail rather than of principle ; and
tlD minority which Mr.. Randall represents
y eodng 10 small as to stand in its opposition
Il MDnewhat in the case of the twelfth Juror.
I'll Mr.. Randall and his friends can hardly
4 - expected to go into caucus upon
ehem, agreeing to abide by the result, with
Il - overwhelming majority against them.
1hey can more gracefully agree to drop
Qbme OF their preferences in such outside
y ecnlerence as they have now sought. They
80 not seem disposed, however, to drop
4 1nuch. Their last proposition is that the
4 neasure for the abolition of the tobacco
4 tax shall go alone before the House. This is
also the plan of Judge Kelley, the protectic Il.
Y isl leadar. It Is supposed that it will COM
mand the assent Of a majority of the House,
but not the requisite two-thirds, and not a
majority of the Democratic votes. The
Democratic members will find no profit in
4 \ separate submission to the House of the
II oposition they oppose and which needs
- Republican vote to give it majority
~ Ne body.
= \ undoubtedly the general sense of
- Democratic party that tobacco should
! not be alone selected for relief from tax.
alton from among the articles of con.
sumption. Their is no merit or utility in
the article demanding such special legisla-
ton. Few win deny that {: and the rea.
SON that it is selected is simply
because thus the revenue can be largely re-
lduced, and the tariff on imports be main.
0ined. The advocates of protection
can gain no favor by such du.
spjicity. The sense of the country
y provided by the offer to take the tax
GOm baneful luxury, while leaving it on
articles Of real need. Mr.. Randall, in get
1 ting astride this ill.favored Republican
hcrse, rides in bad company, and surely will
to grief. lie should show fairer in.
tent to reach an agreement with his Demo.
cratic associates and poopose to them
sfairer subject of tax reduction.